I couldn’t believe that Candido was continuing to go through with this, but as I watched and listened, there was no sign of him stopping. Duster, or whatever his real name was, was left twitching and foaming at the mouth. Blood started to run down his cheeks from his eyes.“He’s the familiar of…” Psyche pulled back as he choked and went still. “There’s nothing left in there. His mind shattered.”I glared at the woman. Estella scoffed and lifted her gun to Duster’s head. She fired. His head exploded in a burst of blood and brains that splattered over Candido. I covered my mouth as my stomach lurched. Candido’s eyes widened. He stared at Duster’s body as it fell sideways.“She said that his mind was shattered,” Candido said. “You didn’t—Why did you do that?”Estella looked at him and blinked as she couldn’t believe that he would ask her that. I stepped forward.“It should have been Candido’s right to decide on his fate, not yours,” I said. “He was a member of Moon Shadow—”“What good is
I set my jaw. “It just goes to show that the Alpha King should have had it in the first place.”Peter chuckled. “It wasn’t the Vampire King who betrayed anyone.”“That’s a lie,” I said. “The Vampire King—”“The history you have of the war is passed down from the hands of the same man who cursed the werewolves on this side of the gates,” Peter said. “I would think that you’d be a bit more cautious about believing what a spiteful, bitter, vengeful man had to say.”I stiffened. “A curse? What are you talking about?”Peter nodded. “The moon marks, mates, the bonding madness? Wouldn’t you call all of that a curse?”“A mate is a gift from the Moon Goddess.” I glared up at him. “What are you talking about?”He cocked an eyebrow. “You know when you say that, but your expression doesn’t change, it’s like you’re lying, right?”I blinked and lifted my hand to my face. I didn’t feel anything strange in my expression.“I’m not lying. Candido is a gift. She gave him to me for everything that’s happ
The two that had tried to help Estella staggered among the earth spikes, leaving smears of blood everywhere. They fell under the weight of vampires pouncing on them, biting them. Another roar shook the air, and a burst of wind rushed through the area, shoving the vampires back into the wall. Spikes shot out, impaling them all as Candido struggled further through the crowd. None of the other bodies moved, but at this distance, I could still see Estella moving, trying to get her bearings against the wall. She slipped and light rippled over her skin again as she started to fall.Why wasn’t she dead yet? He stopped and tried to catch the other two, but he didn’t stop for long, leaving them and heading towards Estella. He gathered her close, cupping her face and cradling her to his chest.“Candido, come back!” I cried, letting the tears stream down my face. “Forget about her! She’ll get you killed!”He didn’t turn back to me. I didn’t even think he could hear me. I heard more vampires runn
I breathed deeply and let out a soft sigh of relief. It felt like everything else I needed to do would be so much easier now that she was dead. Candido couldn’t be distracted anymore. He would only be able to see me. He would only love me, and anyone who tried to change his mind would have to deal with me.I turned back, unable to hide how happy I was, but no one else seemed to be excited or even close to happy. I guess it would take a while for everyone else to shake the enchantments Estella had put on them. It was probably in all of the medical supplies she’d made.I was so lucky that I hadn’t used much of it. Though, maybe it was just because I was stronger than the others. I was a golden wolf after all.I walked through the cave and out to where they had all set up a small camp. People were slumped over, clutching their wounds. Others, the vampires that had come with Peter and the few vampires that had been with Estella were tending people. As I looked around, I realized that a lo
I bristled at the question.“Is that what she told you? Doesn’t that just prove that she was just trying to poison you against me? She was trying to keep us apart, but she’s gone now.”I took his hands and tried to pull them around my waist but he pulled his hands away from me.“... why did you say she attacked you?”“Because she did,” I said pulling at his arm. “She attacked me again on the truck. She was going to push me off and—”“Why didn’t you go back when I told you to?”“I wanted to be at your side. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? Shouldn’t you want your mate at your side?” I dug my fingers into his arm, refusing to let go of him even as he stood and tried to pull away. “Can’t you see that I’m just trying to prove that I’m your luna?”“What happened to Vanessa?” He asked, his voice growing softer.“Stop asking me questions and answer mine!”“What happened to Apollo?”I growled. “That doesn’t matter--”“What happened to Dune?”“I said stop asking—”“What does she have to do w
Just five…I got to my feet and headed back to camp. I sat on the edge of the camp, deep in thought. Wren would be the hardest. Whatever connection he had to the Moon Goddess meant that he likely knew I was planning to kill him. The other four I had a good idea about. One was the man who had stopped me from killing Estella. He was covered in so many bandages that I was almost sure that he was going to die on his own. If not, I could probably find another way to get rid of him. He was probably the easiest.Then, there were three others: the man that had nearly attacked me named Harper, the man who had been crying, and the woman who had comforted him. I didn’t know anything about them, so my best bet was to try and find out who they were. It would be best if I could get one of the vampires to kill them. If not, I would have to catch each of them off guard. Maybe I could get my hands on a gun and shoot them in the middle of another battle. It wouldn’t be hard. I had almost shot Estella;
He would come back just to try and get in the way of it. Now that Estella was gone, he would remember that we’re mates, and we could get back to the way we were before when all he cared about was me. When he doted on me and loved me when he wanted me. I could imagine wearing that white dress again, and this time it actually being for our wedding. The way he’d smile at me, how happy he would make me for the rest of my life.I sat on the edge of a large rock. He pulled out a box of medicine that didn’t look like what he usually used, then he started to wash all the scrapes I had. His hands were so warm. His fingertips skimmed over my skin in an almost ticklish way. Then, I thought about what he’d done to me in Lunae. The passion and heat that he’d kissed me with. The way he’d made me cry out for him in that alleyway. The way he’d made me melt. My heart started to speed up, and I felt warm all over. I wanted him to do it again. I wanted more. As he reached my chest, I saw in his eyes tha
“Cillian, that’s so good,” I gasped.I moaned as he tore his lips away and dropped his lips to my chest. I felt his tongue glide across my skin, and his head lowered until he sucked my nipple into his mouth. It was so good it was almost painful. I arched up against his mouth. Then, there was a sharp prick of sensation, and pleasure rushed through me. I shuddered and gasped, wrapping my arms around him, trying to hold him there as he sucked and thrust his hips against mine. He pulled back and thrust his hands between my thighs. My heart skipped a beat, and I started to squirm.“Cillian,” I gasped. He covered my mouth with his hand, hushing me.“You don’t want to draw much more attention, do you?” Cillian asked, pressing his palm against me and stroking me with his fingers. “I told you just enough, hm?”I shuddered. What did that mean? How much was just enough? Would it be enough? I thought I heard rustling in the bushes or something nearby from the camp, but I couldn’t focus on it when
She cocked an eyebrow. “They might be related, but there’s no way to know if they’re compatible.”“They’re both golden wolves. That should be enough.” I swallowed. “I don’t care what you have to do, you have to keep him alive.”Her eyes drifted down to Candido with an odd expression on her face. “I’ll see what I can do,” she looked up at me. “But… there will be a hefty cost.”“I don’t care,” I said. If Candido was really being used to stabilize Solare, whatever that meant, then I had make sure that he had enough life force, that his body still remained, after that was done to wake up. “I developed a drug that strengthened wolves,” she said. “I have a feeling that it would at least help.”My eyes bulged. “You’re… You’re the one who made the drug for the vampires.”She smiled. “I am. And?”I growled at her. “You’re a traitor.”Her smile turned cold. “And you aren’t the alpha king’s mate.”She cocked an eyebrow. “Given the state of the world, do you think they’ll care?”“Of course, the
“It was unsure if my Beloved King would have ever risen again and to what world,” she said. “It was for the best that I changed the path.”“We’re mates,” I said again. “We’re mates. Nothing you say can change that.”“Mates,” she scoffed. “A tool for conquest. Were you not listening? The vampiric power you inherited from your mother was the only reason you could fake the moon mark. The white fur you inherited from your father turned platinum because of it. When you were no longer a vampire, after Cillian had drained the last of that power out of you, you were just a plain werewolf…”“I don’t believe you,” I said. “I won’t believe you. You’re just trying to trick me.”“Your real moon mark vanished the night that your mate died trying to protect you.”I saw the senior diving in front of me and jerking as the bullets hit him in the chest. “Him?” I growled. “No. I can’t believe that.”“Neither could your mother,” she laughed. “By the time you met your grandfather, I had already been makin
I pushed at the wall, trying to get over there and drag Estella away from Candido. Then, Vanessa appeared dressed in a wispy gauzy red dress. She looked younger than the last time I had seen her. Two younger men followed her, chatting with her though I couldn’t make out what they were saying. They were dressed in red tunics. Then, I saw Claire and Francium striding towards them in red. They were holding hands. Her hair was gathered up in a flower wreath as they smiled together. They looked so happy together as they sat beside Candido and Estella. Soon, I saw other people. I saw Claire’s parents and the people I remember dying over the course of the war. They sat together in a circle around Candido and Estella, chatting happily. “Don’t be happy!” I yelled, banging on the wall. “Claire! You’re supposed to be my friend! Get her away from my mate!”No one even noticed I was there. They laughed and chatted, welcoming other people as they came to join them. Everyone else was wearing red,
Weeks passed, and in that time, I made the remaining people do what needed to be done. They fixed up the building Candido and I were in. While they couldn’t get the water or electricity working, there was a roof and the floors were cleaned. They brought me food when they came to check on Candido and busied themselves with trying to contact whoever else might be alive. “Miss Hedy.”I looked up, glaring at them. “How many times have I told you to call me luna?”The man lifted his head. “Until the king confirms it, I would never disgrace the position that way.”I glared at him. “Then, I suppose you’ll be tried for treason, then.”His eyes narrowed as two people entered the room. “You’re supposed to be regent, right?” The woman asked. “You have some authority.”I lifted my head. “I’m luna.”She pointed at the man beside her. “Then tell this man that I want nothing to do with him and he should leave me alone.”“We’re mates!” He growled. “You’re not going to leave me.”“There is no mark,”
When I opened my eyes, I knew I wasn’t awake. Candido wasn’t there with me. I was seated across a long table that I had never seen before. The windows were all made of stained glass. Moonlight filtered through the colorful glass and sent the colors splashing everywhere. At the other end of the table was the vampire king. He was darker than I remember, but his hair glowed the way it had in that castle. The crown on his brow twinkled with light. To his left, like an odd reflection, was Marius. His blonde hair didn’t glow, and he didn’t wear a crown, but looking at the two of them it was so obvious that he was related to the thing. Their eyes glowed the same. I clenched my jaw and glared at them both. “Where am I?” I asked. “If you think you can change my mind about—”“The time to change your mind has long since passed, Hedy,” the vampire king said softly. His lips twitched into a small smile. “The time to make different decisions is long since over.”He took a deep breath and shook h
I shook my head. “You’re lying. You have to be lying. How would you know if the door was closed?”He laughed. “It was closed to her and all the other traitors. No child of Lunae who still walks in the Goddess’ grace would be turned away from returning home.”I swallowed and shook my head. “She never got Candido’s grandfather or father… I imagine she’s burning with jealousy that you’re so close to what she wanted,” he smiled. “Or maybe she’s proud that you share the same tastes.”“None of that matters,” I said. “I’m not a vampire. I never was. I’m a werewolf. I’m Candido’s mate. Tell me what you plan is. What are trying to do? If you’re trying to hurt Candido, I’ll never forgive you.”He laughed, throwing his head back. “Why would I give a fuck about your forgiveness, traitor?”“I— ““You’re even worse than Hedwig in some ways,” He laughed. “At least Hedwig mourned Candido’s father and grandfather. At least she was faithful in her pursuit. You jumped at the chance to get as close to f
I fell to the ground, choking. For a moment, I imagined Candido stroking my hair like we were in one of the parlors at the Estate before the war. I could almost hear him reading a book to me, some book that I was supposed to read for class but didn’t want to. I didn’t remember the words. I wasn’t even paying attention to his words or the book. I didn’t care. I just loved that he was spending time with me. It was all that I wanted. It was all that I had ever wanted. I closed my eyes and let myself sink into the memory. Slowly, the darkness faded. I felt his lips on my forehead then he was gone. It was so cold. I shivered in the wind that picked up over the mountaintop. I opened my eyes. Dawn was coming over the mountain. I shook and rolled over and tried to get up. I could see Candido there. His fur was still golden. He hadn’t turned back. He didn’t move. I crawled toward him. “Candido?” I whispered. “Candido? You can’t be gone… She promised me. I… You promised.”I got to him and we
“Fuck!”I rolled over and tried to see what was happening as I sucked in breath after breath. I choked, trying to catch my breath as I saw a glint of silver cut through the air. The man barely choked as his head tumbled through the air. His body went up in flames. Then, I saw Raven’s face. Her eyes were filled with blood-red light.She walked toward me. A flash of silver went by me and the gag loosened. I spat it out and my hands fell apart like the cuffs were broken. Her sword was aimed at me. Her expression was cold as she looked at me. Her hand trembled. Tears streamed down her face. Her jaw trembled. Then, she lowered her blade. I couldn’t believe it. I looked around, searching for someone else, but there was no one. It was just the two of us behind the barrier. Then, the wall of light shimmered and started to fade.I heard a stroke of thunder and turned as lightning fell from the sky and slammed into the side of the mountain. I smiled. Candido was using his power and winning. W
The fury simmered behind the tears in her eyes before she turned back to the group. They talked a little longer When they broke apart, none of them came my way. Most of them went with Wren, but the man with bandages headed toward a different truck. I eyed him suspiciously. What was he doing separate from the rest of them? Were the rest of them going to Candido and leaving him behind? Where were they going?I looked across the way as Harper and Wren and the others looked at me, glaring. Their eyes were filled with red light. They drove away, never taking their eyes off me. One of the women was crying. I looked over at the bandaged man as he hauled himself onto the back of the truck, still leaning to one side. Then, the truck I was in started to drive away. I turned back to see where were going and knew we were headed toward the mountain from my vision. My heart started to race. It seemed like we were heading to the end of the war now.“Black Team,” someone said. “En route to Gold Tea